Sto. Niño devotees honor ‘Father of Dinagyang’

Bust of Father Ambrosio Galindez
Bust of Father Ambrosio Galindez

ILOILO City – Devotees of Señor Santo Niño honored the priest widely acknowledged as the “Father of Dinagyang” – Father Ambrosio “Boy” Galindez, the first Filipino Rector of the Agustinian Community and parish priest of the San Jose de Placer Church here.

At the sidelines yesterday of a Santo Niño caravan which was part of this year’s Dinagyang Festival, several devotees offered prayers and flowers to the bust of the Augustinian priest at the San Jose de Placer Church, Plaza Libertad.

“Para sa kadungganan sang founder sang aton kahiwatan,” said Gilda Roxas, a Santo Niño devotee.

Dinagyang Festival started in 1967. A replica of the Santo Niño de Cebu was brought from Cebu to the San Jose de Placer Church by Father Sulpicio Enderes along with a delegation of the Cofradia del Señor Santo Niño de Cebu.

Led by Galindez, the Ilonggos enthusiastically received the image. They danced on the streets of Iloilo City.

The Cofradia’s del Señor Santo Niño – Iloilo Chapter started honoring Galindez in 2018 during the 50th anniversary of the Dinagyang Festival. His bust was unveiled on Nov. 13 of that year at the left side of the San Jose de Placer Church in front of the Adoration Chapel.
According to Angela Macalalag Ravena, who was then 86 years old when featured in the 2018 Dinagyang Festival souvenir program, it was Galindez who, as parish priest of San Jose de Placer Church, thought of establishing a celebration in Iloilo City similar to Kalibo, Aklan’s Ati-atihan honoring Señor Santo Niño.

She, her husband Francisco and Galindez went to Kalibo in the late 1960s to see for themselves how Kalibonhons celebrate the Ati-atihan.

Galindez, however, did not want Iloilo City’s version of the Ati-atihan to coincide with Kalibo’s festival or with Cebu’s Sinulog, both of which were held in the second or third Sunday of January, thus the holding of Dinagyang in the last Sunday of January.

Galindez was born on Nov. 2, 1930 in Bohol. He was ordained on July 12, 1959 at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican City.
Galindez’s first assignment in the Philippines as a priest was at the Convento and Colegio del Santo Niño de Cebu.
He was also the school chaplain of Colegio del Santo Niño de Cebu, and director of Cofradia del Santo Niño.
Between 1967 to 1970, Galindez became the school director of San Jose Parochial School in Iloilo City and founded the Cofradia del Santo Niño de Cebu-Iloilo Chapter.

Galindez passed away on June 12, 2011.

Dinagyang may not be as ancient as the one in Kalibo but it is known more for its participants’ impressive choreography and striking costumes that reflect the ingenuity, craftsmanship and artistry of the Ilonggos.

Dinagyang is the Hiligaynon word for revelry or merrymaking./PN

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